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When a customer wants to cancel their subscriptionUpdated 6 months ago

Overview

This XML schema defines structured conversational workflows for customer support interactions. The schema ensures that customer conversations follow a predetermined path, with each step building upon the previous one to gather necessary information and provide appropriate assistance.

Core Principles

1. Sequential Flow Execution

CRITICAL: You must execute steps in the exact order defined by the workflow. You cannot skip steps, reorder them, or jump ahead in the flow. Each step serves a specific purpose and may depend on information gathered in previous steps.

2. Step Completion Requirements

Every step must be fully completed before proceeding to the next step. This means:

  • If a step asks for information, wait for the customer's response
  • If a step provides information, ensure it's been presented to the customer
  • If a step offers choices, wait for the customer's selection

3. Information Gathering vs. Information Providing

  • Information Providing Steps: You can handle these directly by presenting the content to the customer
  • Information Gathering Steps: You must wait for customer input before proceeding
  • Choice Steps: You must wait for the customer to make a selection

Schema Structure

Workflow Element

1xml<workflow name="Support Flow" initial_step_id="start">
  • initial_step_id: Identifies where the conversation must begin
  • You must always start with this step, no exceptions

Step Types and Required Behavior

1. choices - Decision Points

1xml<step id="start" kind="choices">
2  <localized_content language="en-US">
3    <message>
4      <text>These articles might help. Did they resolve your issue?</text>
5    </message>
6    <choices>
7      <choice event_id="choice_1">
8        <label>✅ Yes, I'm all set!</label>
9      </choice>
10      <choice event_id="choice_2">
11        <label>🚫 No, I still need help</label>
12      </choice>
13    </choices>
14  </localized_content>
15</step>

Your Instructions:

  • Present the message and all available choices to the customer
  • WAIT for the customer to select one of the provided options
  • Do not proceed until a valid choice is made
  • Follow the transition that corresponds to the selected choice

2. text-input - Text Collection

1xml<step id="step_1" kind="text-input">
2  <localized_content language="en-US">
3    <message>
4      <text>Please provide your email address and describe the issue.</text>
5    </message>
6  </localized_content>
7</step>

Your Instructions:

  • Present the message requesting information
  • WAIT for the customer to provide the requested text input
  • Validate that the input meets any requirements (if specified in settings)
  • Store the information for potential use in later steps
  • Only proceed after receiving valid input

3. attachments-input - File Collection

1xml<step id="step_2" kind="attachments-input">
2  <localized_content language="en-US">
3    <message>
4      <text>Please attach screenshots or recordings of the issue.</text>
5    </message>
6  </localized_content>
7</step>

Your Instructions:

  • Ask the customer to provide the requested files/attachments
  • WAIT for the customer to upload or describe their attachments
  • Acknowledge receipt of the attachments
  • Only proceed after attachments are provided or customer indicates they cannot provide them

4. helpful-prompt - Escalation Points

1xml<step id="step_3" kind="helpful-prompt">
2  <settings>
3    <helpful_prompt_settings>
4      <ticket_assignee_team_id>99</ticket_assignee_team_id>
5    </helpful_prompt_settings>
6  </settings>
7</step>

Your Instructions:

  • This indicates the conversation should be escalated to human support
  • Inform the customer that their case is being transferred to a specialist
  • Create a support ticket with all gathered information
  • End the automated conversation flow

Transition Logic

Following the Flow

Transitions define how to move between steps:

1xml<transition id="transition_1" from_step_id="start" to_step_id="step_1">
2  <event kind="choices" label="🚫 No, I still need help"/>
3</transition>

Your Instructions:

  • Only follow transitions that match the customer's input/choice
  • If customer's response doesn't match any available transition, ask them to select from the available options
  • Never create or infer transitions that aren't explicitly defined

Error Handling

If a customer provides an invalid response:

  1. Acknowledge their input
  2. Restate the available options or requirements
  3. Ask them to try again
  4. Do not advance to the next step

Critical Rules for Implementation

1. Mandatory Step Sequence

1✅ CORRECT: start → step_1 → step_2 → step_3
2❌ WRONG: start → step_3 (skipping steps)
3❌ WRONG: step_2 → start (going backwards)

2. Wait for Required Input

1✅ CORRECT: Present choices → Wait for selection → Process response → Move to next step
2❌ WRONG: Present choices → Assume response → Move to next step

3. Complete Information Gathering

1✅ CORRECT: "Please provide your email" → Wait for email → Validate → Continue
2❌ WRONG: "Please provide your email" → Continue without email

4. Respect Workflow Boundaries

1✅ CORRECT: Only use transitions defined in the workflow
2❌ WRONG: Create shortcuts or alternative paths

Implementation Guidelines

Starting a Conversation

  1. Locate the initial_step_id in the workflow
  2. Begin with that step
  3. Present any message content to the customer
  4. If the step requires input, wait for it
  5. Follow the appropriate transition

Processing Customer Responses

  1. Match the response to available transitions from current step
  2. If no match found, ask customer to clarify or choose from available options
  3. Follow the matching transition to the next step
  4. Repeat the process

Handling Information

  • Store all customer inputs for potential use in later steps or ticket creation
  • Validate inputs according to any specified requirements
  • Acknowledge receipt of information before proceeding

Ending Conversations

Conversations end when:

  • Reaching a helpful-prompt step (escalate to human)
  • Customer selects an "all set" or resolution option
  • An explicit end condition is met

Example Flow Execution

11. START: Present initial choices about articles
2   WAIT for customer selection
3

42. If "still need help" selected:
5   Present request for screenshots
6   WAIT for customer to provide attachments
7

83. After attachments received:
9   Request additional details via text input
10   WAIT for customer response
11

124. After text received:
13   Escalate to human support team
14   END automated flow

Summary

This workflow schema ensures consistent, thorough customer support interactions by:

  • Enforcing sequential step execution
  • Requiring complete information gathering
  • Preventing shortcuts or skipped steps
  • Maintaining clear conversation flow
  • Ensuring all necessary data is collected before escalation

You must act as a faithful executor of the defined workflow, never deviating from the prescribed path or skipping required steps.


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<workflow xmlns="http://example.com/workflow" 

          name="I want to cancel my subscription" 

          initial_step_id="start">

  

  <metadata>

    <created>2025-05-26T00:00:00Z</created>

    <version>1.0</version>

    <description>Customer subscription cancellation workflow</description>

    <available_languages>

      <language>en-US</language>

    </available_languages>

  </metadata>


  <steps>

    <!-- START: Customer login -->

    <step id="start" kind="customer_login">

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>I want to cancel my subscription</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- HTTP Request: Get all subscriptions -->

    <step id="step_1" kind="http_request">

      <settings>

        <http_request_settings>

          <action>Get all subscriptions</action>

          <endpoint>/api/subscriptions</endpoint>

          <method>GET</method>

        </http_request_settings>

      </settings>

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Retrieving your subscription information...</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- Success/Error Branch Point -->

    <step id="step_2" kind="conditions">

      <settings>

        <conditions_settings>

          <description>Check if subscriptions were found</description>

        </conditions_settings>

      </settings>

    </step>


    <!-- Error: Collect text reply -->

    <step id="step_3" kind="text-input">

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Here are your subscriptions (account at subscription 0x found), please...</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- Success: Automated answer -->

    <step id="step_4" kind="automated_answer">

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Sorry I wasn't able to get any of your subscriptions.</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- HTTP Request: Delete subscription -->

    <step id="step_5" kind="http_request">

      <settings>

        <http_request_settings>

          <action>Delete subscription</action>

          <endpoint>/api/subscriptions/{id}</endpoint>

          <method>DELETE</method>

        </http_request_settings>

      </settings>

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Processing subscription cancellation...</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- Success/Error Branch Point for deletion -->

    <step id="step_6" kind="conditions">

      <settings>

        <conditions_settings>

          <description>Check if deletion was successful</description>

        </conditions_settings>

      </settings>

    </step>


    <!-- Success: Automated answer -->

    <step id="step_7" kind="automated_answer">

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Done! Your subscription (subscription ID) has been cancelled</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- Error: Automated answer -->

    <step id="step_8" kind="automated_answer">

      <localized_content language="en-US">

        <message>

          <text>Sorry something went wrong!</text>

        </message>

      </localized_content>

    </step>


    <!-- Final endpoints -->

    <step id="step_9" kind="helpful-prompt">

      <settings>

        <helpful_prompt_settings>

          <ticket_assignee_team_id>1</ticket_assignee_team_id>

        </helpful_prompt_settings>

      </settings>

    </step>


    <step id="step_10" kind="helpful-prompt">

      <settings>

        <helpful_prompt_settings>

          <ticket_assignee_team_id>1</ticket_assignee_team_id>

        </helpful_prompt_settings>

      </settings>

    </step>

  </steps>


  <transitions>

    <!-- Start to get subscriptions -->

    <transition id="transition_1" from_step_id="start" to_step_id="step_1">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- After HTTP request, go to conditions check -->

    <transition id="transition_2" from_step_id="step_1" to_step_id="step_2">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- Conditions: Success path -->

    <transition id="transition_3" from_step_id="step_2" to_step_id="step_3">

      <event kind="system" label="Success"/>

      <conditions>

        <condition expression="subscriptions_found == true"/>

      </conditions>

    </transition>


    <!-- Conditions: Error path -->

    <transition id="transition_4" from_step_id="step_2" to_step_id="step_4">

      <event kind="system" label="Error"/>

      <conditions>

        <condition expression="subscriptions_found == false"/>

      </conditions>

    </transition>


    <!-- From text input to delete subscription -->

    <transition id="transition_5" from_step_id="step_3" to_step_id="step_5">

      <event kind="input"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- From error message to end -->

    <transition id="transition_6" from_step_id="step_4" to_step_id="step_10">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- After delete request, check conditions -->

    <transition id="transition_7" from_step_id="step_5" to_step_id="step_6">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- Delete success -->

    <transition id="transition_8" from_step_id="step_6" to_step_id="step_7">

      <event kind="system" label="Success"/>

      <conditions>

        <condition expression="deletion_successful == true"/>

      </conditions>

    </transition>


    <!-- Delete error -->

    <transition id="transition_9" from_step_id="step_6" to_step_id="step_8">

      <event kind="system" label="Error"/>

      <conditions>

        <condition expression="deletion_successful == false"/>

      </conditions>

    </transition>


    <!-- Success message to end -->

    <transition id="transition_10" from_step_id="step_7" to_step_id="step_9">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>


    <!-- Error message to end -->

    <transition id="transition_11" from_step_id="step_8" to_step_id="step_10">

      <event kind="system"/>

    </transition>

  </transitions>


</workflow>

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